Controversial Don Sahong Dam closer to construction

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In a recent post on The Interpreter I noted that there was now no doubt the the Lao Government is committed to the construction of the Don Sahong dam in the far south of Laos. It will be the second dam built on the mainstream of the Mekong River below China (after the dam now under construction at Xayaburi).

The 260MW Don Sahong Hydropower Project is among the first of a number of run-of-river hydropower projects proposed for development on the Mekong River. SMEC New Zealand is assisting the Project Developer, MFCB, with a range of engineering and advisory tasks geared towards obtaining approvals and finalising arrangements in preparation for calling Engineering, Procurement and Construction tenders. SMEC's services include engineering inputs to support the environmental approvals and MRC prior notification process, and completion of power purchase and concession agreements.

So far as I am aware, this is the first instance in the post-Vietnam War period that an organisation with links to Australia has become directly involved in activities associated with the construction of dams on the lower Mekong. Previously, Australian firms and organisations have been involved in environmental assessments.

The Lao Government is following the same procedure as it did in relation to Xayaburi by leaving notification of its intentions to the Mekong River Commission until after it has decided to undertake construction at Don Sahong. The Lao Government on 3 October did notify the MRC of its intention to build the dam, but this belated action appears to fall short of the requirements under the 1995 Mekong River Agreement that members should consult with each other before embarking on action that could affect member interests.

There are recent indications that the Lao Government has now also made clear its intentions to Thailand and Vietnam, though curiously not to Cambodia (it has claimed that the projected dam 'would have no impact on the river downstream').

It will be up to commentators with the technical and scientific knowledge I do not possess to comment further on developments, but it is hard not to conclude that, with the construction of the Don Sahong dam now apparently certain to take place, fresh concerns are being raised about the Mekong's role as a major source of fish for the large population living along the river.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s first state visit to Australia begins on Sunday at a time when bilateral cooperation is wider and deeper than at any point since the referendum in East Timor, and Australian feelings toward Indonesia are at a high.